Thread winding mechanism



July7, 1936. F. A. DANIELS THREAD WINDING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet lFiled Jan. 15, 1955 INVENTOR, .7reden'c/c Orf/zur Daniels ATTORNEY.

Patented July 7, 1936 U Pi PATENT OFFICE THREAD WINDING MEGHANISMFrederick Arthur Daniels, Waynesboro, Va, as-

sign'or to Du Pont Rayon Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation ofDelaware Application January 15, 1935, Serial No. 1,855

10 Claims. (Cl. 242-18) r I This invention relates to a thread windinmechanism and more particularly, it relates to a thread winding spindlemechanism which may be rotated by means of a friction surface driveroller without intermittent bouncing or jumping of the spindle andthread package relative thereto.

Inthe winding of threads on a spool, bobbin, or the like, it is oftendesirable to impart rotation to the spool or bobbin by direct frictionalcontact between the surfacesof the outer layers of thread and a surfacedrive roller. As the thread builds up on the spool or bobbin, the axesof the spool or bobbin and the actuator or drive roller will graduallybecome more widely separated from each other. Consequently, the spindleis arranged to be moved relatively to the surface drive roller to allowfor the layers of thread built up on the spool or bobbin.

Prior to this invention, when such a freely movable spindle was drivenby a surface drive roller,

any slight irregularity or unevenness in the surface of the wound threador unevenness in the density of the wood, of which spools or bobbins areusually constructed, would create an eccentrically unbalanced conditionin the revolution of the spindle in its guide grooves, with the resultthat the spindle would periodically climb upwardly by pressure on theside wall of the guide grooves and cause a jumping or bouncing of thespool or bobbin relative to the roller.

Obviously, this bouncing of the spool or bobbin is very objectionableand attempts have been made-in the past to eliminate this action, forexample, by enlarging the bobbin or spool to reduce the speed ofrevolution thereof. Despite these attempts, excessive bouncing ofthespindle has not been eliminated and this, coupled with the diificultyof maintaining spindle length and guide groove spacing in exactadjustment, has restricted 4 the permissible weight of wound packages ofthread.

. It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a spool orbobbin spindle adapted to rotate freely relative to a surface driveroller without jumping or bouncing relative thereto.

It is another object of this invention to provide a spool or bobbinspindle adapted to be drivenby a surface drive roller in which thereis acontinuous driving engagement between the roller and the spool orbobbin.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a spool or bobbinspindle having an automatic spring take-up means to allow for anyvariations in the spacing between spindle guide grooves.

Other objects r this invention will become apparent from the followingdetailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawingsin which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a spindle constructed inaccordance with this invention, 5 and its position relative tocooperating guide grooves and a surface drive roller.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the spindle shown in Fig. 1,but in which the guide grooves are spaced considerably closer together.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a'vertical sectional view of a slightly modified form ofspindle.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the upper portion 15 of an elementcontaining a guide groove.

,Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing the construction of the upperportion of a guide groove containing element.

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view showing the 20 method of inserting aspindle into the guide grooves of a winding machine.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, reference characters 6 and 1 designate portionsof the 25 frame work of a spool or bobbin winding mechanism. Theportions6 and I are provided respectively with guide grooves 8 and 9. Theseguide grooves are parallel to each other and are spaced from each othera distance approximately equal to 30 the length of the spindle whichwill be hereinafter described.

The spindle comprises in general a stationary shaft ID, a rotatablesleeve II and a spring pressed take-up member l2. The sleeve II isprovided with internal bearings l3 and M in opposite ends thereof. Thesebearings are preferably of the so-called self-lubricating type and maybe fastened to the sleeve by force fitting the same therein in a knownmanner. The sleeve ll 40 and bearings i3 and M are positioned to rotatefreely about the shaft l0. One end of the shaft 10 is provided with apreferably hardened, cylindrical, guide member [5 which is fastenedthereto by means of a pin it. The external end of 45 the guide member I5is ground flat to provide a maximum friction area for contact with thebottom of the guide groove 9. The member 15 fits in the guide groove 9with just sumcient clearance to permit of free vertical movementrelative therewith. A wear-resisting thrust washer l1 composed ofhardened bronze or the like is preferably positioned between the bearingl4 and the guide member IS.

The opposite end of the shaft I0 is provided 55 with-a spring pressedtake-up member l2 which is slidable on the end of said shaft between thelimits of two machined flat sections l8 and IQ of the shaft and twocooperating pins 20 and 2| of p the member l2. The shoulder 23 ofthemember I2 is adapted to move back and forth within a bore 24 of thesleeve II. A coiled spring 25 is positioned around the shaft between theshoulder 23 and the end surface of the bearing l3, whereby the member I2is forced outwardly from the bore 24, within the limits of movement asdefined by the above said fiat sections and pins. The spring 25 alsofunctions to push the sleeve N together with its bearing l4 against thethrust washer 11 which in turn is forced against the guide member l5 soas to maintainthe sleeve and bobbin at a constant predetermined distancefrom the guide'groove 9, thus causing the bobbin to rotate in a fixedplane at right angles to the axis of the bobbin. A spring abutmentmember 21 and a hardened metallic thrust washer 26 are preferablyarranged between the end of spring 25 andthe bearing l3 for the purposeof guiding the spring 25 and preventing excessive wear. As

shown in Fig. 3, the projecting end 12a of the take-up member l2 has asquare cross section. and is adapted to slidingly fit guide groove 8 topermit free'vertical movement of the end l2a in the guide groove 8, andto prevent rotation of shaft Ill. The end surface of l2a, as in the caseof guide member 15, is ground flat to provide a maximum friction areafor contact with the bottom of guide groove 8.

The spring-pressed take-up member l2 permits the use of a standardlength spindle in variously spaced guide grooves as is clearly shown inFigs. 1 and 2, the guide grooves 8 and 9 of Fig. 1 being spacedconsiderably farther apart than those of Fig. 2.

The sleeve has a flange 28 at one end thereof to limit the position of aspool or bobbin 30 fitted thereon. One end of the sleeve is preferablyprovided with a leaf spring member 29 on the external periphery thereofto secure the bobbin on the said sleeveand prevent relative rotationbe-,

tween said sleeve and bobbin.-

Clearance is provided between sleeve 1i and members I2, 26 and 21, andalso between the bobbin 30 and members l5 and I 1, as shown in Figs. 1and 2, to eliminate frictional contact therebetween, so that sleeve IIis the only part of the spindle which contacts the bobbin 30.

The spool or bobbin 30 which is thus firmly but removably held on thesleeve II is rotated together therewith about the stationary shaft IIIby means of a surface drive roller3l which in turn is rotated throughthe shaft 32. As the thread 33 builds up on the spool or bobbin 30, thespindle will rise in the guide grooves 8 and 9.

After inserting the sleeve ll into'the bore of a bobbin to the pointwhere the end of the bobbin rests against the flange 28, the springpressed take-up member I2 is compressed with the finger, or by othermeans as will be described hereinafter. The cylindrical guide member 15is inserted into groove 9, and the spindle rotated slowly untilthesquared end thereof, l2a, fits into the guide groove 8. The empty bobbinis sufficiently heavy to carry the spindle downwardly in theguide'grooves until the surface of the bobbin contacts the surface ofthe roller 3|. The bobbin is then ready to be wound with thread in amanner as is well known in the art.

Instead of compressing the spring-pressed take-up member l2 with thefinger, the memmay be provided at their upper ends with divergingsections as is clearly shown in Fig. '7 by the curved flanges 6d and 1d.These curved flanges, which are extensions of the bottom walls and 5 1cof the guide grooves, are adapted .to contact the end surfaces ofmembers l2 and I5 of the spindle, and which, upon movement of thespindle inwardly toward the guide grooves, will compress the take-upmember l2 to fit the space between 10 the bottom walls 60 and 1c of thesaid guide grooves. The side-wall 6a of the member 6 is made slightlyhigher than the side-wall 6b, as is clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 6, sothat the square take-up member l2 may contact the inner surl5 face ofwall 6a and thus be positioned to readily slide into guide groove 8. Aguard member 4|! may be fastened over the top of member 6 (see Fig. 6)by means of screws 4l and 42. or other suitable means This guard memberserves the purpose of pre. enting the spindle from dropping out of thewinding device when the same is placed in an inverted position. The endof the member 40 is provided with a curved lip 40a so that the spindlemay be readily inserted.

. Instead of using a single spring 25 within the bore 24, it may bedesirable to use two springs, as is shown in the construction of Fig. 4.In this modification, the spindle shaft I0 is provided with a member 35fixed to the shaft It]. A hardened metallic thrust washer 36 is slidablypositioned about the shaft l0 and against the end of the bearing l3. Aspring 31, sufliciently heavy to retard vertical vibration of thespindle within the guide grooves 8 and 9, is positioned between 5shoulder 23 of the take-up means l2 and fixed member 35. A second spring38 is positionedbetween the fixed member 35 and the thrust washer 36 toforce the sleeve I I against the thrust washer l1 andthe guide memberl5, and to prevent the shaft ID from sliding longitudinally in thebearings l3 and I4 whereby to prevent any substantial sidewise movementof the bobbin or spool.

A spindle constructed in accordance with this invention will preventjumping or bouncing of the bobbin relative to the actuator, and willprovide for a continuous, free-running contact between the bobbin andthe actuator.

The bouncing orjumping repeatedly referred to above is apparently causedby two separateand distinct components, one of which is a verticalvibration, probably caused by very slight irregularities in the externalsurface of the bobbin or irregularities on the external surface of thetop layer of thread. The'other component consists of a climbing tendencyof the spindle, when a' rotating spindleshaft is used, in its guide slotdue to eccentricities in the bobbin orthread layers with respect to thespindle axis. The latter component has been completely eliminated 60 bythe use of a stationary spindle and a rotat: able sleeve. The firstnamed component has been substantially eliminated by the insertion of acompression. spring between the ends of the spindle whereby a frictionalcontact between the ends of the spindle and the bottom of grooves 8 and9 is provided. This frictional contact may be adjusted to any magnitudedesired to overcome the vertical vibration of the spindle.

A further advantage of the compression spring take-up device is to takeup any variations in 1.

in perfect relationship with its traverse guide (not shown) to minimizeunevenness of the thread layers.

Since it is obvious that the specific embodiments of the inventionillustrated and described may be varied in many details of itsconstruction within wide limits without departing from the nature andspirit of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention isnot to be limited thereto except as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A thread winding spindle comprising a nonrotatable shaft, a sleeverotatable about said shaft, and a spring pressed take-up means mountedco-axially on one end of said shaft, said take-up means having an endsurface shaped to cooperate with a supporting means over a substantialsurface to frictionally engage the.

same.

2. A thread winding spindle comprising a nonrotatable shaft, a sleeverotatable about said shaft, 9, spring pressed take-up means movablymounted on one end of said shaft, projecting members on said means, andflattened sections on said shaft cooperating-with said members forlimiting the movement of said means and shaft.

3. In a winding mechanism, means having a plurality of parallel guidegrooves, a spindle movably mounted in said grooves, said spindlecomprising a non-rotatable shaft, a sleeve rotatable about said shaft,and a spring pressed takeup means mounted co-axia-lly on one end of saidshaft, a spool on said rotatable sleeve, and a surface drive rollerarranged for driving engagement with said spool.

4. In a winding mechanism, means having a plurality of substantiallyvertical, parallel guide grooves, a spindle comprising a, non-rotatable,

spring pressed, laterally movable shaft in said grooves, a rotatablesleeve on said shaft, a spool on said sleeve, and a surface drive rollerarranged for driving engagement with said spool.

5. In a winding mechanism, means having a plurality of substantiallyvertical, parallel guide grooves, a spindle comprising a non-rotatable,laterally movable shaft in said grooves, a rotatable sleeve on saidshaft, aspool on said sleeve,

and a surface drive roller arranged for driving engagement with saidspool.

6. In a winding mechanism, means having a plurality of substantiallyvertical, parallel guide grooves, a spindle comprising a spring pressed,laterally movable shaft in said grooves, a portion of said shaft havinga cross section to prevent rotation relative to said grooves, arotatable sleeve on said shaft, a spool on said sleeve, and a surfacedrive roller arranged for driving engagement with said spool.

7. A thread winding spindle comprising a nonrotatable shaft, a sleeverotatable about said shaft, a take-up means slidably mounted on one endof said shaft, spring means tending to force said take-up means fromsaid shaft, and a second spring means tending to force said sleeve alongsaid shaft to a definite predetermined position.

8. In a winding mechanism, means having a plurality of substantiallyvertical, parallel guide grooves, a spindle comprising a non-rotatable,laterally movable shaft in said grooves, springpressed take-up means onsaid shaft, and means connected to said first-named means forcompressing said spring-pressed take-up means when inserting the spindleinto said grooves.

9. In a winding mechanism, means having a plurality of substantiallyvertical, parallel guide grooves, a spindle comprising a non-rotatable,laterally movable shaft in said grooves, springpressed take-up means onsaid shaft, means connected to said first-named means for compressingsaid spring-pressed take-up means when inserting the spindle into saidgrooves, a rotatable sleeve on said shaft, a spool on said sleeve, and asurface drive roller arranged for driving engagement with said spool.

10. A thread-winding spindle comprising a non-rotatable shaft, a sleeverotatable about and mounted for endwise movement on said shaft, atake-up means slidably mounted on one end of said shaft, and a springmeans interpositioned between said sleeve and take-up means and therebytending to force said take-up means from said shaft and to force saidsleeve along said shaft to a definite, predetermined position.

FREDERICK ARTHUR. DANIELS.

